This invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning bath and shower enclosures, and in particular to methods for using such apparatus and containers for supplying cleanser to such an apparatus.
The walls and doors of bath and shower enclosures can become mildewed, or coated with soap build up and hard water and mineral deposits, after extended periods of use. Removing these deposits and stains normally requires one to scrub the walls and doors by hand, which is an undesirable task. A cleaning solution can be used to reduce the amount of scrubbing needed.
Cleansers (e.g. a surfactant containing formula) are typically sprayed onto the walls and, after allowing the active ingredients time to work, the walls are wiped with a cloth, brush, or scrubbing pad and then rinsed with water to remove dirt and the cleanser residue. However, some cleansers have been developed and marketed that can remove deposits without the need to scrub the walls. These cleansers have been sprayed onto the walls after the enclosure has been used, and then allowed time to work. See generally, WO 96/22346 and WO 98/02511. The assignee of the present invention, S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc., also sells shower cleaners that act without the need for scrubbing.
One technique used for applying the no-scrub, no-rinse cleansers, for example, is to keep a pump spray bottle of the cleanser in or near the shower enclosure so that one can spray down the walls of the shower enclosure after showering. However, this requires a consumer to spend the time and effort to spray down the walls.
Some systems have been developed to reduce the labor involved in enclosure cleaning. U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,225 discloses a sprayer and conduit system for a bath and shower enclosure in fluid communication with the water supply to a shower head. Supply water is directed to the showerhead or diverted to the sprayer for cleaning the enclosure. A container of cleanser is mounted in the shower enclosure for introducing cleanser (through an injector assembly) into the conduit for spraying cleanser on the walls. A drawback with this system is that the user must manually turn on the supply water (if not already on), adjust the diverter, squeeze cleanser into the sprayer and shut off the water after the walls have been washed. There is also some risk that the consumer will be sprayed with the cleanser.
Other systems are more elaborate, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,383,341, which includes multiple pop-out spray nozzles connected by a manifold to a mixing valve where cleaning concentrate is mixed with water. U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,485 discloses an automatic cleaning device for a tub and shower having large, powered tub and shower “gliders” that move in tracks around the tub and shower stall, respectively. The gliders are coupled to the water supply, which is mixed with a cleanser. The gliders have spray heads for spraying the cleaning solution on the tub and shower walls. The gliders also have brushes for scrubbing the walls. A user operates the gliders and cleanser mixing by a central controller. These systems are disadvantageous because they are large, unsightly, expensive and can require considerable installation time and cost.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for an improved system for automatically spraying down a bath and shower enclosure, and methods for using such a system, and containers for supplying such a system.